Food Safety Month! Check Out These Tips and Hacks!

September is food safety month and with the recent hurricanes, what better time to educate people on the importance of food safety and how it not only affects the food serving industry but every single household in America. The USDA is giving food safety tips on its website on how to protect your food and water during Hurricanes and other storms.

Prepare for unpredictable weather emergencies. Have these supplies on hand:

Thermometers in the freezer and refrigerator.

Containers of ice to keep food cold or to melt if water supply is contaminated or unavailable.

Coolers, frozen gel packs, and dry ice to keep refrigerated food at or below 40 F and frozen food at or below zero F if power is out for more than 4 hours.

Bottled water.

Nonperishable food high on shelves, in case of flood.

Manual can opener.

Bleach for disinfecting.

Keep food at recommended temperatures. Keep in mind that perishable food such as meat, poultry, seafood, milk, and eggs not kept at recommended temperatures can make you sick—even if thoroughly cooked.

Do not eat or drink anything that has touched flood water, including food packed in non-metal containers.

How to sanitize cans of food:

Remove labels from cans, which can harbor dirt and germs, wash the cans, and dip them in a solution of 1 cup (8 oz/250 mL) of unscented household (5.25% concentration) bleach in 5 gallons of water.

Allow the cans to air dry.

Re-label the cans with a marker. Include the expiration date.

How to sanitize containers, countertops, pots, pans, dishware and utensils:

After a natural disaster, water may not be safe to drink. Area Health Departments will determine whether the tap water can be used for drinking. If the water is not potable or is questionable, then follow these directions:

Use bottled water that has not been exposed to flood waters if it is available.

If you don’t have bottled water, you should boil water to make it safe. Boiling water will kill most types of disease-causing organisms that may be present. If the water is cloudy, filter it through clean cloths or allow it to settle, and draw off the clear water for boiling. Boil the water for one minute, let it cool, and store it in clean containers with covers.

If you can’t boil water, you can disinfect it using household bleach. Bleach will kill some, but not all, types of disease-causing organisms that may be in the water. If the water is cloudy, filter it through clean cloths or allow it to settle, and draw off the clear water for disinfection. Add 1/8 teaspoon (or 8 drops) of unscented household (5.25% concentration) liquid bleach for each gallon of water, stir it well and let it stand for 30 minutes before you use it. Store disinfected water in clean containers with covers.

If you have a well that has been flooded, the water should be tested and disinfected after flood waters recede. If you suspect that your well may be contaminated, contact your local or state health department or agriculture extension agent for specific advice.

If water supply is still unsafe, boil water or use bottled water.

Once power is restored, check the temperature inside your refrigerator and freezer. You can safely eat or refreeze food in the freezer if it is below 40 F.

If your freezer does not include a thermometer, then check the temperature of each food item. If the item still contains ice crystals or is at or below 40 F, you can safely refreeze it.

Discard any perishable food—for example, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk—that has been in a refrigerator or freezer at or above 40 F 2 hours or more.

When in doubt, throw it out.

The last statement is truly one that I always abide by. I always think….,”How much was this chicken? Is saving 6 bucks and taking the chance of making my family sick worth it?” …every time no. We recently spoke with a client who was affected by Harvey and they had to throw away thousands and thousands worth of food that was spoiled due to power loss during the Hurricane. They were lucky enough to have only had to throw out the food, however, this just goes to show you the importance of food safety is never worth compromising your family or your brand.